Healthy Living, Lifestyle & Beauty

Book Review: Kardashian Dynasty By Ian Halperin 📖

I’m back with a new book review, as I haven’t done one in ages. I finally found a book that was interesting or intriguing enough to read and came across Kardashian Dynasty.

One day I was surfing the net and I remembered there was a book out on the Kardashians. It randomly came to me as I was sitting on my bed and decided to pursue the idea. I purchased a copy on Amazon and checked the reviews prior but however, the decision to read, wasn’t going to based off other’s opinions. I wanted to do the research myself so I could understand the family dynamics and waited 5 days (I’m not sure about the time frame accuracy) for it to come in the post. I was delighted when it was delivered. Yessss Amazon delivery😂

I’ve watched Keeping Up With The Kardashians from the first season, after seeing it being aired on E! Entertainment (despite not knowing anything about who the family were). It was on the TV at the right time when I was looking for something to watch. I was about 12 years old when I introduced to the whole fiasco. Since then, the magnitude of the Kardashian’s and Jenner’s has grown significantly. They are one of the most well-known bunch in America to date. You can take on your own thoughts and ideas, as to the reasons for their notorious status in today’s society. One thing, there are most certainly an enigmatic bunch and it’s definitely one of my guilty pleasures.

I’m going to break the review into four sections because there are 16 chapters in total. You can get a brief summary of it:

First Quarter – Chapter 1 to 4:

The first four chapters give a background overview of the family’s individual history before they were in the limelight. It evens goes further back to discuss Robert Kardashian’s heritage and how his immediate family became the first generation Armenians to settle in a small part of America. It also describes his business and law legacy which ties in with information about OJ Simpson case. Rob and Kris Jenner had four kids: Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob Jr. It talked about Kris’ childhood, occupation and marriage life, all before she met Bruce.

I also discovered a hypothetical theory for this section as to why Kourtney named her first son with Scott Disick: Mason. There was a guy called George Mason, who was Robert Snr’s mentor which helped him get started in one of his many businesses. It came to me Kourtney might have taken the initiative or inspiration to name her child in honour of the man who helped her father become who he was.

Second Quarter – Chapter 4 to 8

We are introduced to Bruce Jenner, his Olympics legacy and background before he met Kris Jenner. They had two daughters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Inside the book, it goes into further details about the timeline of his life and the historical events around that time. Also, Nicole Brown Simpson + OJ’s trial was mentioned within the chapters. It spoke about the family divide between the Kardashians and Jenner and the build-up to June 14th, which came of the back of OJ and Nicole volatile relationship. On a more lighter note, interracial relationships are discussed, because of Kim’s love for black men. Her father told her about the implications that it could cause, however, she was always intrigued by it so it explains her relationships with African American men. Kim’s business mind showed early that she was ready for the success she achieved, even before she was famous. It started with her eBay selling and closet organisation services. As well as, Kris and Kourtney’s idea to open the clothing store Smooch in Calabasas, Los Angeles.

Third Quarter – Chapter 8 to 12

Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian’s public friendship was actually not public, they had been friends since they were younger, but it only became more public when Kim’s divorce to Damon Thomas was finalised. The circumstances in her home and family environment meant she needed to get out more and the Paris Kim combo was born. She spent time in the limelight with her, frequently getting photographed at local hotspots. This was all after Paris and Nicole’s friendship dismantled (they had a reality tv show called The Simple Life). On her rise to stardom, which slowly overshadowed Paris (this led to their friendship to sour), she has involved herself in high profile relationships with sports players and rappers. One of her infamous ones was her affiliation with rapper Ray J. Together they created a lengthy adult movie, which is available with/on Vivid Entertainment. The author actually did an undercover operation to see the workings of the company, but you’ll have to read the book to see how that went.

Within this era, the reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians was conceived, due to the help of family friends, Kris Jenner, Ryan Seacrest and Farnaz (a producer who came up with the name). They added many spin-offs to their franchise – Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Khloe & Lamar, Dash Dolls and Kourtney and Khloe Take The Hamptons. Their business deals and collaboration with other brands had increased, due to their on-growing popularity. It was more inclined for people to buy the products the girls were endorsing. Away from the main spin-offs, the wedding specials took place, which included the 72-day marriage of Kris Humphries to Kim.

I’ll be discussing the consequence of this in the paragraph below:

Final Quarter – Chapter 12 to 16

Last but not least, after the marriage between Kris and Kim ended. The backlash caused the TV viewers of the show to decline, because of the many reasons speculated. It blew up heavily in the public because they were accused of doing it for the show so therefore it was a sham. Also, because they were many endorsement deals involved so Kim and Kris had to invest less in their marriage. This raised suspicion with the public, resulting in criticism about the marriage. The whole situation endured for a while, with the relevant parties keeping a low profile.

The main focus moving on from the problem was a public rebranding. Kris Humphries was a mixed race guy, which was a deviation for her usual type. However, she returned to what she knew best when she later got accompanied by Kanye West. The Kimye relationship was brewing over the years.

I don’t know if you’re aware of their history, but you can find out information on how much Kanye was into Kim before making their relationship serious. They were best friends for a time and kept it that way whilst they were both in relationships or messing around with other people. Articles are available on Google, type in ‘Kimye’.

Kimye’s relationship appealed to a hip-hop audience because Kanye was a high ranked rapper and producer. He had a special relationship with his mother Donda and this was prevalent in his family history. His parents were participants in black culture, especially his dad Ray. As the Kimye union progressed, Kim wanted to branch out on her own to create solo endeavours. She was originally the main breadwinner of the family, helping them to also become successful in the process too. However, she felt it was her time to break away and make an identity in her own right.

The other Kardashian members were also facing their own issues. One, there has always been a rumour about Khloe’s real dad (she was confirmed to be middle eastern in the latest episode of KUWTK, so I guess that clears it up slightly). Another member, who is often left in the shadow, is Rob Kardashian. He was the only son out of the six kids Kris had, so he found it difficult to relate to his siblings who had achieved a significant amount of success. An episode saw the family discussing Rob’s deep-rooted issues with a therapist.

Understandably, Kris only knows how to manage females because she’s one herself. She’s the mastermind of the empire. So it became a little harder for her to find a similar route Rob could follow. He had graduated from university studying law, like Rob Snr. He currently has a sock line called Arthur George.

Finally, Bruce Jenner’s sex change was the main twist in this family. Allegedly, he was the only one with a ‘real story’. After a series of reportings months before and a KUWTK announcement special. The public was unexpectedly revealed to Caitlyn on a magazine cover.

AND… the Kardashian saga still continues till this date …

It’s in its 15th season, shown on E! Entertainment and other digital/cable networks.

Book ratings: 7/10

I rate it a 7/10, simply because I got to know the Kardashian Jenner family better off-screen. I’m an avid watcher of KUWTK anyways, I like to see their looks and how they are dressed. Undeniably, there are nice to look at and the show helps portray fashion and beauty. Also, you got to know many members of the family more intimate beyond what’s shown on screen. The book provides a timeline until the place they have reached in today’s society. The book contains pictures of the family mid-centre, so it contributes to the atmosphere. It’s a time for you to pause mid-book and take in the visuals.

I read each chapter nightly because it was a pleasant way to end the day. Especially being able to read it in a quiet room, so it was more peaceful to take in the text. There were certain paragraphs that stuck out at me, so I took snapshots. Overall, I’d agree to it being a good pass-time and if you’re interested in the family or watch KUWTK, I’d recommend investing in this book.

Audio version (if you prefer to listen, you can hear it below):

I know this was a long post, hopefully it was enough information for you to take in and help your decision to get the book. Thank you for reading and check out the other book reviews on this blog. Also, watch the videos on my YouTube Channel – Chanda D W 🤗 (there is make up tutorials there).